Politics, power and modernity. Key problems and classical readings of historical sociology 3500-FAKANG-HSI
The course provides students with basic knowledge of the development of power institutions, as seen from the perspective of the historical sociology. These issues will be presented on the background of broader modernization and social development processes, and interpreted by the means of reading the classical works of historical sociology. The selection of readings enables the student to ascertain the theoretical development of the discipline, from the supposedly universal political modernization theory, through British Marxism to Neo-Weberianism with its systematic historical-comparative approach.
Using the classical notions, concepts and theories of that social science branch, the class deals with the concept of political modernization, the influence of local political traditions, as well as the relation between political centers and peripheries. It also touches upon the variety of political development paths, which led to the formation of modern forms of social and political organization, including nation-states. It deals with the East-West divide, with its supposed historical origins, possibly related already to the end of Antiquity and the beginning of European Feudalism, and definitely instituted by the development of capitalist economy in Western Europe. Another discussed issue is the diversity of despotic vs liberal state development paths, as well as the various routes leading to modern, liberal democracy – and its authoritarian, Fascist or Communist alternatives. The variety of regional types and roles of nationalisms and their relation to the state-building process in the various parts of Europe will be discussed too. Last but not least, the course deals with the significant oversights of the classical, historical-sociological reflection, which has been marked by the Western-Centrism (or even Eurocentrism), which led to the omission of certain peripheral areas, such as Balkans.
All these issues will be presented and discussed by reading the classical works and using concepts developed by Seymour M. Lipset, Barrington Moore, Perry Anderson, Reinhard Bendix and Charles Tilly.
The course has classical form of a teacher-guided discussion on selected topics (and readings).
Rodzaj przedmiotu
Tryb prowadzenia
Założenia (opisowo)
Koordynatorzy przedmiotu
Efekty kształcenia
W_01 – The student demonstrates knowledge of classical theories of historical sociology and their applications to the analysis of modernization and state-building.
U_01 – The student is able to interpret classical texts in the perspective of processes of modernization, power, and society.
U_02 – The student is able to compare different developmental paths of political and social institutions.
U_03 – The student is able to analyze the relations between center and periphery as well as different models of democratic and authoritarian development.
K_01 – The student engages in critical reflection on the limitations of classical historical sociology, including its Eurocentric orientation.
Kryteria oceniania
Assessment of each participant’s individual activity during the classes (carried out by the teacher together with the students at the final meeting) – 55% of the final grade, final oral exam – 45% of the final grade.
Up to two absences are allowed. Those students who have been absent more than twice (but with no more that 45% absences) are expected to prepare and send the teacher short resumes of the main readings they missed. The type and form of second term exam are identical with the first one.
The use of generative artificial intelligence tools, such as ChatGPT, is permitted for selected course or assessment tasks. By default, the use of such tools is prohibited unless explicitly stated otherwise. Any use must be properly described and/or cited. Students are responsible for all content generated using AI tools.
Literatura
Perry Anderson, Passages from Antiquity to Feudalism, London: NLB 1978; Perry Anderson, The Lineages of the Absolutist State, London: NLB 1974; Reinhard Bendix, Kings or People, University Of California Press 1978; Norbert Elias, The Civilizing Process, Oxford – Cambridge: Blackwell 1995; Miroslav Hroch, European Nations: Explaining Their Formation, London: Verso 2015; Samuel Huntington, Political Order in Changing Societies, New Haven -London: Yale University Press 2006; Seymour M. Lipset, Political Man, New York: Anchor Books 1960; Seymour M. Lipset, Stein Rokkan (eds), Party systems and voter alignments, New York: Free Press 1967; Michael Mann, Sources of Social Power, vol. I-IV,: Cambridge University Press 1986, 1993, 2012, 2013; Michael Mann, States, War and Capitalism, Blackwell, Oxford–Cambridge 1992; Barrington Moore, Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy, Harmondsworth: Penguin University Books 1974; Wim van Meurs, Alina Mungiu-Pippidi (eds.), Ottomans Into Europeans, London: Hurst 2010; Theda Skocpol (ed.) Vision and Method in Historical Sociology, Cambridge University Press 1984; Charles Tilly, Coercion, Capital, and European States, AD 990-1990, Blackwell, Oxford–Cambridge 1992; Peter Wagner, A Sociology of Modernity. Liberty and Discipline, London – New York: Routledge 1994.
Więcej informacji
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